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Park Perspective: Embracing the Value of Unconventional Backgrounds

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Image of Jenny Hamilton standing, smiling with four other classmates in blue t-shirts and jeans. They stand under a “Crest” logo banner at a blue booth for Johnson’s Battle of the Brands competition.

Jenny Hamilton MBA ’25 (second from right) with her teammates during the Battle of the Brands case competition hosted by the Marketing & General Management Club.

During the first few months of my time at Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, I faced imposter syndrome. Entering the MBA environment felt like stepping onto a new planet, one where everyone was well-versed in business topics, had extensive backgrounds at prestigious firms, and held clear career trajectories and goals in mind.

In contrast, my few years working in publishing, a path I had once been proud of and excelled in, no longer seemed as shiny. In the first set of courses, I struggled to find my footing among my peers, who shared real-life quantitative examples and brought theories to life by contrasting them with prior work experiences. In these moments, I struggled to see how I could add value in and around Sage Hall, as well as how to keep pace with my classmates, who seemed to have been preparing for this endeavor their entire lives.

Finding my footing

A turning point came at the beginning of October, when the Marketing & General Management Club’s annual Battle of the Brands case competition began. In this annual Johnson School tradition, teams compete by creating and executing marketing plans for existing products. The case competition culminates at the Sage Marketplace, where students and faculty purchase products with allotted tickets and vote on their favorite booth.

During this weeklong sprint, I found myself navigating the challenge with a comfortable familiarity, sifting through hundreds of data points from consumer research to find patterns, asking thoughtful questions when consulting our brand advisors, and crafting a compelling narrative to appeal to our target audience. My teammates, whose backgrounds ranged from traditional business to engineering, appreciated my experience in storytelling and audience engagement.

Our hard work paid off. We were the third team to sell out of product, offloading over 250 tubes of Crest Densify toothpaste in 55 minutes. As my team celebrated, I relished the realization that my background was not a liability, but rather a unique lens that would help me thrive on my chosen path in the business world.

Encouraged by this revelation, I began to seek out further opportunities to nourish my strengths and capabilities. In my core team, I sought to lead written assignments, harnessing my skills at the intersection of narrative and business. I ran for club positions that harnessed my communications and social media skills, two assets critical for my future in brand management. Finally, I began mentoring prospective and admitted students coming from communications and media.

The power of diversity in thought

In my time at the Johnson School, I have learned that business education thrives on diversity in thought and experience. I want to share some tips that have helped me:

  1. Utilize your strongest asset: your unique perspective. One of the Johnson School’s biggest strengths is its diverse student, faculty, and alumni population. Contribute! Share your story, crazy ideas, and unconventional perspective. This differentiation will help set you apart and lead to shared success.
  2. Build a learning community. Make connections with your classmates who have backgrounds and skill sets that vary from your own. Whether in study groups, professional clubs, or case competitions, this exchange of knowledge will be critical for success in business school.
  3. Seek mentorship and offer it in return. Advisors who have once been in your shoes are a great resource for abating imposter syndrome and helping you realize your full potential and trajectory. Learn from others, and when you’re ready, impart these lessons on the next generation of students.
  4. Play to your strengths in moments of hesitancy. Business school is the perfect setting to stretch skill sets and embrace new challenges. The easiest way to thrive in a new environment, classroom, or group setting is to utilize personal strengths as a springboard to growth and thoughtful contributions.
  5. Celebrate each milestone. Did you participate in a class you were nervous about or share an idea in your core team that the group loved? Take a moment to celebrate. Taking a risk isn’t easy.

My business school journey thus far has been about more than just acquiring a degree. It has been about evolving into a versatile, empathetic, and innovative business leader. I hope you embrace your path and help the world of business bloom in a kaleidoscope of perspectives.

About the author

Image of Jenny Huang

Jenny Hamilton is a second-year MBA candidate at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management. She completed her first-year internship at Procter & Gamble. Prior to joining the MBA class of 2025, she worked in marketing and communications for a major oncology publisher, where she led the company’s business-to-consumer marketing and promoted practice-changing medical materials to specialists around the world. She holds a bachelor’s in English literature from Boston College.

Jenny Hamilton MBA ’25